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Topic: Content and looks of the new "cheap in-game help"

Astuur
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Posted at: 2012-02-29, 06:58

Wonderful, folks!
Thank you so much.

I'll post my files on launchpad then, but keep any discussion to this thread?
I'd wish someone could really enable uploading stuff to this site; Sirver is not opposing this idea - there simply is no one to do it atm.

@Chuck -- The quotation marks and decimal delimiters were supposed to change automatically with the language --- it's clear, they didn't.
I'll keep an eye on this, and hope you won't have to correct that anymore .... something I cannot guarantee for the commas face-smile.png - that's a point I'll really have to re-learn later.
I've been talking English mostly in the last years, not writing, and if at all, nobody cared much about commata. (now I wonder how many comma mistakes I made in this sentence face-smile.png )

@Venatrix: Sorry, I forgot about changing backslashes to slashes; will do so next time.
Yes, I think we need to concentrate on the short version for now (though I'd rather have both in the end).
In the light of a recent bugreport status change, I have started to think about a "manual". The "in depth" versions are closer to a manual, but still miles away from what I'd call a proper manual.
I simply discovered, that the content I'm trying to sell there gets close to what you'd expect in a manual.
But the point is that it's much easier for me to do "short" and "long" simultaniously. So I'll keep on doing both, though the long version will not make it into a release now.
Also, I'd like others to see the content from the long version and catch any necessary facts I may have omitted and factual mistakes. So if you're willing to care about the formatting, just ignore the "long" side for now, if you want.
back to work


Being no programmer, I apologize for all my suggestions that imply undue workload and for other misjudgements due to lack of expertise or relevant skills.
I am on Win32, have no means to compile, and rely on prefabricated distributions (Thanks to Tino).

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Venatrix
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Posted at: 2012-02-29, 08:14

chuckw wrote:

By "system...", are you referring to Launchpad? If so, there is a link at the very bottom of the Bug Report page under the "Add Comment" box that allows you to "Add attachment or patch". Clicking on that opens a dialogue where you can browse to the file on your PC that you wish to upload.

Yeah, I know… But the last time I tried to attach a plain text file it was written in the comment instead of attached as an extra file. But I can try again.

Edit: Right, did it. Maybe you just need a text in the comment field?

Edited: 2012-02-29, 08:32

Two is the oddest prime.

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Venatrix
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Posted at: 2012-02-29, 08:31

Astuur wrote:

@Venatrix: Sorry, I forgot about changing backslashes to slashes; will do so next time.

Yes, saw it. face-smile.png It’s no problem, though. My text editor can replace them. face-wink.png But you can do without the /widelands/-part of the paths, it’s not necessary.

The first version of the deep coal mine help is on Launchpad available. Note that you need the new version of the format_help.lua, too.


Two is the oddest prime.

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Astuur
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Posted at: 2012-02-29, 09:40

Hey Venatrix, that's actually a lot nicer than I thought face-smile.png
Fine work!
Good to have something like that at last.
One addition, I'd suggest for the uttermost clarity:
In the section workers/crew required:
One chief miner or better
One miner or better


Being no programmer, I apologize for all my suggestions that imply undue workload and for other misjudgements due to lack of expertise or relevant skills.
I am on Win32, have no means to compile, and rely on prefabricated distributions (Thanks to Tino).

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alocritani

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Posted at: 2012-02-29, 12:34

Hi, I'm watching the pdf attached on launchpad: it's really nice but I have a suggestion and a request.

Suggestion, first: I suggest adding "on average" in the sentences like "In a coal mine one coal is produced in 32.5 seconds".

That's because you will obtain 2 coals every 65 seconds, and not 1 coal every 32.5 (how the sentence suggests).

request now: how is the "efficiency ratio" (coal per food) you talk about in the "In depth - production" section calculated?

Do you consider 1 meal = 2 snacks = 2 x 2 rations or do you use a more complex calculation?

Another point: Do you know that some mines (like deeper coal mine) produce more coals than the number they remove from the mountains (like 5 coals removing only 4 coals)? (see here)

Do you think this should be pointed out?

Edited: 2012-02-29, 12:44

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Venatrix
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Posted at: 2012-02-29, 14:12

Astuur wrote:

In the section workers/crew required: One chief miner or better and One miner or better

Hmm… Not sure, if it really is necessary. But I think, digits are better then words.

alocritani wrote:

Suggestion, first: I suggest adding "on average" in the sentences like "In a coal mine one coal is produced in 32.5 seconds".

That's because you will obtain 2 coals every 65 seconds, and not 1 coal every 32.5 (how the sentence suggests).

In that case I think it’s better to write down the real output. That’s less confusing, I think.

Another advantage would be that we wouldn’t have the problem if it’s 32.5 or 32,5. face-wink.png

Another point: Do you know that some mines (like deeper coal mine) produce more coals than the number they remove from the mountains (like 5 coals removing only 4 coals)? (see here)

Do you think this should be pointed out?

I don’t think so. IMO that’s a detail that belongs to the long version (when we come to it) not to the short.

Edited: 2012-02-29, 14:18

Two is the oddest prime.

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chuckw
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Posted at: 2012-02-29, 14:15

Venatrix wrote: Yeah, I know… But the last time I tried to attach a plain text file it was written in the comment instead of attached as an extra file. But I can try again.

Edit: Right, did it. Maybe you just need a text in the comment field?

Possibly. Being wordy by nature, I've always put something in. face-wink.png

Cheers!


I see little people.

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Astuur
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Posted at: 2012-02-29, 16:36

So, somebody is interested out there face-smile.png
You're right Alocritani,

first: I suggest adding "on average" in the sentences like "In a coal mine one coal is produced in 32.5 seconds".

That's because you will obtain 2 coals every 65 seconds, and not 1 coal every 32.5 (how the sentence suggests).

You shall have your "on average" :).

The reasoning behind this is of course that I wanted a common basis for comparison.
I plan to do this sort of "calculation" for every ware in the game, and 1 unit seemed the best for that.
That is also, why I am not so fond of saying 2 coals in 65 seconds.

request now: how is the "efficiency ratio" (coal per food) you talk about in the "In depth - production" section calculated?

Well Calculation is a big word, it's more like an estimate. That is why I am not giving any numbers here.
It is simple comparison. I had a feeling comparing apples to pears (i.e. pitta bread with meat or fish) was not really good,
but wanted to give some relative measurement.

The general idea is: a mine needs one item (fish, meat or bread) to produce 2 coals. (2/1=2)
A deep mine needs three items (fish/meat plus bread plus beer) to produce 4 coals. (4/3=1,333...)
A deeper mine needs three items (fish/meat plus bread plus strongbeer) to produce 5 coal. (5/3=1,666...)
Since strong beer and beer are made of the same ingredients, I see them as equal quantity.

Another point: Do you know that some mines (like deeper coal mine) produce more coals than the number they remove from the mountains (like 5 coals removing only 4 coals)? (see here)

I guess you are relating to this conf file section:

[work]
sleep=40000
consume=meal
animate=working 16000
mine=coal 2 100 10
produce=coal:2
animate=working 16000
mine=coal 2 100 10
produce=coal:3

I have seen that, but I am unsure, whether this really can be interpreted in this way.
I cannot find any good documentation about the first mine= parameter.
The mining section in the wiki is above my head mathematically.

Do you think this should be pointed out?

If your interpretation is correct, I'd have to explain, why a mine actually produces coal out of nothing. Not an easy job face-smile.png
On the other hand I feel that withholding the info, that deeper mines will ultimately bring you more coal than any other type from not-so-techy players, is unfair.

But yes, once somebody explains to me how to interpret this, I could well be a part of the "in depth" side.


Being no programmer, I apologize for all my suggestions that imply undue workload and for other misjudgements due to lack of expertise or relevant skills.
I am on Win32, have no means to compile, and rely on prefabricated distributions (Thanks to Tino).

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Astuur
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Posted at: 2012-02-29, 17:06

@Venatrix:

Astuur wrote:

In the section workers/crew required: One chief miner or better and One miner or better

Hmm… Not sure, if it really is necessary. But I think, digits are better then words.

Hehe, probably a matter of taste face-smile.png
In German there is a rule of thumb to spell out numbers <12, if you're not acually doing maths with them but I have no idea about English.

This work you have so boldy taken upon you is at least as much yours as it is mine, so - do what you like best. face-smile.png

But I do admit, that I am indeed trying to keep that help file system a little away from numbers, equations and so forth, even when the vast majority of devs here would like it terse, exact and somewhat formal.

My attitude is one of a story-teller, not a engineer, even though I have already lost that battle with the "at a glance" version face-wink.png


Being no programmer, I apologize for all my suggestions that imply undue workload and for other misjudgements due to lack of expertise or relevant skills.
I am on Win32, have no means to compile, and rely on prefabricated distributions (Thanks to Tino).

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alocritani

Joined: 2011-11-24, 12:03
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Posted at: 2012-02-29, 17:35

Astuur wrote:

mine=coal 2 100 10

produce=coal:3

I have seen that, but I am unsure, whether this really can be interpreted in this way. I cannot find any good documentation about the first mine= parameter.

If your interpretation is correct, I'd have to explain, why a mine actually produces coal out of nothing. Not an easy job

I've found information about mine command here and yes, it seems that obtaining 3 coals while removing 2 from mountains has been done by purpose (see here)

Edited: 2012-02-29, 17:47

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